Refrigerating apparatus



Nov. 1, 1949. E. Al szYMczYK REFRIGERATING APPARATUS .Filed Jan. 31, 1948 WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. l, 1949 REFRIGEBATING APPARATUS Edmund A. Bsymcayk. Indian rchard, llana., alsignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Eastmlittlburgh, Pa.. a corporation o! Pennsyl- Application Jnnllai'y 3l, 1948, Serial No. 5.592

I Claims (Cl. B20- 24) This invention relates to reirigerating apparatus and particularly to a cold storage cabinet embodying such apparatus.

The invention particularly relates to cold storage or cooler cabinets of the horizontal type having a top opening lid for aiiording access to the interior of the cabinet, and 'may be particularly exemplified by a cabinet used for the storage oi packaged goods such as a bottle cooler.

More particularly, the invention relates to a horizontal cooler where the heat transfer from the stored goods to the reirigerating system is accomplished by the use oi' cold circulating air. In such coolers the heat leakage at the junction of the lids and the cabinet walls becomes a source of trouble, since the surface temperature is lowered on the cabinet exterior therei'ore tends to cause moisture condensation on the cabinet.

Further, such cabinets are often provided with double lids, that is a lid having two portions hinged together centrally. In this construction itis important that an effective seal against moisture innltratlon be made at the hinge. It is also desirable that the hinged lid be entirely removable as a unit from the cabinet so that the entire interior of the storage compartment be easily accessible for cleaning or storage purposes.

A particular object of the invention. therefore, is to provide in a hinged lid cabinet a construction which provides an effective seal at the hinge connection.

More speciilcallyan object is to provide a sealing arrangement at the hinge connection which arrangement includes a portion attached to the cabinet but removable therefrom.

A further object is to provide such a detachable portion that will also assist in centering the hinged lid when one oi the portions is temporarily raised to afford access to the cabinet.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part o! this application, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical elevation principally in section, of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the invention. and which cabinet is provided with a two-piece lid hinged at its center;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion oi the cabinet wail and the cooperating lid:

Fig. 3 is a sectionalview. also on an enlarged scale, of the construction adjacent the hinge joining the two lid portions,

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In the drawings. in Fig. 1 Vthere is shown a topopening cabinet ill having an inner liner I i which serves as the storage compartment I2 for the articles to be cooled. The cabinet is provided with an outer shell Il spaced by insulation i4 from the inner liner Il. The outer shell may be extended below the bottom wall il of the storage compartment i2 to provide a non-refrigerated compartment IB for receiving the condensing unit of a rei'rigerating system.

The evaporator portion i1 of the reirigerating system is located in the storage compartment i2. This evaporator is operatively connected in a known manner to the compressor i! and condenser I9, both the latter being here shown as located in the non-refrigerated compartment i6. The evaporator is surrounded by a shroud In for directing the path oi circulating air and for dividing the storage compartment into two sections.

A motor-driven fan 2i is provided inside shroud 2li and above evaporator I1 for forcing air upwardly through the evaporator and the apertured upper end 22 of the shroud. A bame 23 directs the cooled air toward the ends of the storage compartment. A pair of shelves 2l, each imperforate except at its end 25, are provided in the storage compartment near its bottom wall. These shelves extend from the baffle 20 substantially to the end walls of the compartment and from one side wail of the compartment to the other so that they form together with the bottom wall oi the compertinent, ducts 2l for the return ot air from the compartment through the perforated end 25 oi each shelf to the evaporator. The general path of the circulating air is indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. The closure for the upper end of the storage. compartment comprises a two-piece lid 21 centrally hinged as at 28 so that either piece may be separately raised by a handle 29.

Referring to Fig. 2 which shows details of the cabinet and lid construction adlacent the rim oi the lid, the cabinet shell I3 is bent to i'orrn a horizontal wall Sil, a short depending portion 3i and a short horizontal portion 32 providing a ledge. pending leg 3l, a short horizontal portion 35 and a short upwardly extending portion lt. The leg 3l is suitably attached, -as by screws il; to the inner liner l l, and the upwardly extending portion 36 is attached by suitable fastening means such as screws 3l to the depending ange 3| of the outer shell. When so disposed the horizontal portion 35 ci the breaker strip lies above the ledge portion 32 oi' the outer shell. A gasket 3B has a vertical flange 4U mterposed between members li A breaker strip 'Il has a vertically deand 3B anu also has e long horizontal lange li overlying the horizontal wall 30 of the shell i8 and a shorter ilange l2 overlying the upper edge o! breaker strip Il.

This `lorealrer strip should be made of material of low heat conductivity such as a phenolic resin compound, while the gasket I8 should be o: yieldable material such as rubber or a rubber-like compound. As the outer shell i3 and the inner liner i I are usually made oi' sheet metal. the construction described provides a path of minimum heat transfer between those two parts. The horizontal anges Il and 42 also serve as a resilient butler when the lid section 21 is lowered. Also the short'. ange 42 serves to seal and protect the upper edge of the breaker strip. It will be understood that the construction just described extends completely around the upper edge of the cabinet.

The lid 21 is formed of an outer shell Il, an inner pan 44 and suitable insulation 4t interposed therebetween. I prefer to make the inner pan M from molded material oi' relatively low heat conductivity, such as a phenolic resin compound.

A gasket 4B is provided having a flat horizontal leg portion 41 and a depending enlarged rounded portion 48 which may be hollow as shown. Portion 4T is engaged, as by screws 49, between a horizontal flange Btl formed on the outer shell 43 'of the lid and la horizontal flange 5| formed at the edge of the inner pan Il. As this gasket extends entirely around the lid, the portion Il provides a seal against moisture illtering into the insulation of the lid.

When the lid is closed. as Shown, ilange l of the outer shell 43 o: the lid engages the horizontal .portions Il and I2 of gasket 39 as has been described, while enlarged portion 48 of gasket 46 engages the horizontal portion 35 of the breaker strip 33. Thus a double seal is alforded against lnltration oi' warm air into the cabinet at the Junction of the lid with the cabinet.

With a two-section hinged lid of the character herein described, it is also necessary to provide a seal at the hinge to prevent air iniiltration and this is panticularly important with an air-cooled storage compartment.

It would be possible to provide a construction which each lid section is permanently attached to the cabinet. This would, in eilect provide two separate lids. However, in order to ailord easy access to :the entire interior of the cabinet for servicing and cleaning purposes lt is preferable that the lid sections be hinged to each other and Ihe removable from the cabinet as a unit.

To accomplish these results, I provide a construction at the top center o! the storage compartaient which not only provides an excellent seal against inilltration of warm air, but also permits the aforesaid-desirable removable lid construction. The construction also provides a means for centering the lid on one section is to be raised.

For example, a strip or material l2 of somewhat trlanguiar cross-section is provided transthe cabinet when only versely oi' the Storage compartment adjacent the hinge 2l. This strip is preferably made of a material ci' low heat conductivity such es hard rubber or a phenolic condensation compound. The strip is here shown as attached to and supported reinforcing channei-shaped meinber t3. The latter member is provided at each end with a downwardly-projecting ange Il which flange is removably engaged in the enlarged portion 5S of a strap t8. The strap is tastened near its ends as at 51 to a wall oi' the storage compartment.

When the lid is in place. as shown in Fig. 3, the gasket portions 4B ot the lid engage the opposite upwardly sloping sides oi triangular strip 62 to form a seal against air leaking into the storage compartment. The triangular shape helps to center the lid when one portion or the cessible for any necessary cleaning or servicing operation.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the invention provides a cheap. readily-constructed and eilective construction for a horizontal top-opening refrigerator cabinet having a removable lid construction.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not various changes and parting from the spirit What I claim is:

1.- In a refrigerator cabinet oi the tcp opening type and having a storage compartment with vertical walls. a two piece centrally hinged lid i'or closing said opening, gasket means attached to and disposed beneath each lid portion adjacent its periphery. a substantially triangular-shaped horizontally-disposed strip extending across said compartment adjacent said hinge and supported at its ends by opposite walls of the compartment. said strip having its apex disposed above its base so that when the lid is in position, its gaskets adjacent the hinge engage opposite sloping sides of said triangular portion.

2. Structure according to claim l wherein the triangularshaped strip is detachably connected to the walls of the storage compartment.

3. Structure according to claim 1 where the gasket-contacting portions of said stripz are formed of a non-metallic material of relatively low conductivity.

EDMUND A. SZYMCZYK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille o! this patent:

modincations without dethereof.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,753,946 Replogle Apr. 8, 1930 2,414,061 Richard et al. Jan. 7, 1947 

